You Have to Mean It
by Reichiru03
Summary: Different perspectives on Molly Weasley's duel with Bellatrix. Obvious DH spoilers.
1. Molly

_You have to mean it._

I've never in my life performed a killing curse before. I've seen too much death in my lifetime to ever want to be the cause of it.

But she threatened my children... they all have.

Fred was gone... and now Harry. How much more could a mother take?

_You have to mean it. _

I had never been in a fight like this before. During the first war I was too busy protecting my babies while my brothers went out and did the fighting.

They took my brothers from me.

Had she been there too? Had she laughed that same wicked laugh when Dolohov finally finished them? Had she laughed as Fabian died slowly while Gideon died quickly, shielding his twin in vain from the final curse?

_You have to mean it._

The night my brothers died I left the safety of the Burrow. Something inside of me had snapped.

I wanted them to find me.

I wanted them to dare and duel me.

They would underestimate me.

Everyone did.

But before I could get far enough Arthur found me. It was the first time I had ever seen true terror etched in his face. He screamed at me, asking if I was insane... asking if I had a death-wish. He didn't understand... and I felt too guilty for scaring him to explain.

It would be almost twenty years before I would scare him again like that.

_You have to mean it._

I hadn't realized my baby was dueling at first. I had told her to stay hidden away in the castle.

I should have known better. Her grief for Harry had driven her into the center of the fight. It was like watching myself wanting to avenge my brothers all over again.

Except Ginny didn't love Harry like a brother. And knowing exactly what she was fighting for scared me even more.

My Ginny, Hermione, and the Lovegood girl fought Bellatrix together – perhaps hoping their combine efforts would overpower her. Yet the look on the Death Eater's face was not one of concentration.

She was playing.

It was like watching an animal play with its food before it swallowed it whole. I had known she was crazy... but watching her duel with those three as if it were all a game was too much for me.

_You have to mean it._

Curses flew everywhere, but the only one I could focus on was the only one that mattered.

She had almost killed my baby.

The jet of green light came so close to Ginny that for a moment I thought she had been hit.

For a split second time stood still and my heart stopped beating.

And then something inside of my chest bubbled and burst.

_You have to mean it._

"NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!"

The words flew out of my mouth before I could even think of what I had said... before I could think of what I was doing.

I tore through the crowd without a moment's hesitation. It wouldn't have been surprising if Arthur was in my wake, trying to claw after me – trying to stop me from doing it again.

But I could see nothing except Bellatrix in my rage. No one else mattered at that moment.

I hadn't been surprised when she laughed. I was a middle-aged, frumpy housewife going up against one of You-Know-Who's most loyal and bloodthirsty Death Eaters. I was almost surprised I didn't hear others echo in her laughter.

_You have to mean it._

"OUT OF MY WAY!"

The three girls cowered at my rage and immediately moved as I began to duel. For a moment I caught a look of pure terror on the faces of both Ginny and Hermione. I knew what they were thinking.

You don't stand a chance.

Some other students tried to move forward to help me, but I screamed at them to leave us. They had taken Fred... they had taken Harry. But so help me they would never hurt those I loved ever again.

I was mildly aware of the large circle forming. Only two fights now waged on: You-Know-Who against three and Bellatrix against myself.

_You have to mean it._

The floor was hot and cracking at the ferocity of our curses. Bellatrix was no longer playing a game as she had with the girls. She was no longer underestimating me like so many others had through the course of my life.

We were both out for the kill.

"What will happen to your children when I've killed you?" She was taunting me now. "When Mummy's gone the same way as Freddie?"

Perhaps she thought mentioning my Fred would cause me to falter. Perhaps she thought taunting me with my loved ones would cause me to break.

She should have known better.

"You-will-never-touch-our-children-again!"

_You have to mean it._

I was almost as shocked as she was when it hit her in a flash of green.

Her face was twisted in an odd looking grin at first, and then it slackened as if she knew it was over.

As she crumpled to the ground I knew I finally had my revenge. My brothers, my children, Harry...

I could think of nothing else even as I watched You-Know-Who turn his wand on me.

_You have to mean it._

I don't remember saying it.

But I know I meant it.


	2. Arthur

I have never been so scared and so in awe at the same time.

Hundreds of witches and wizards, both adults and children alike, are fighting to the death... fighting for the end. I find myself separated from my family in the midst of it all, randomly cursing Death Eaters, beasts, giants.

It was in the midst of all this that I heard her above everyone else.

"NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!"

I knew right away who it was... after all I had been married to her for almost thirty years.

I, however, had been surprised by her outburst and the uncharacteristic cursing. Molly was always telling off the children for using bad language, so hearing these words made me look in her direction without even worrying if I would be cursed for my sudden lack of concentration... especially if my little girl had been hurt.

My heart caught in my throat when I realized what my wife was doing and as soon as my feet recalled how to move of their own accord, I had torn off after her.

The crowd was forming a tight circle as I tried my best to claw through them. They were awed by the bravery of my wife, and even I had to admit I would have never realized what a skilled duelist she was. Sure, I had known her temper was quick to flare and I always found it amusing how she could make even the largest of our boys cower in fear, but I had never imagined her as a fighter... She had always been the healer. I felt silly now... having spent all this time trying to protect her when she was perfectly capable of holding her own.

I had reached the front of the crowd just as Bellatrix began with her taunts. I felt a nauseating sense of grief wash over me when she threw Fred in Molly's face. It was then I felt a hand reach for mine and I turned to see my baby girl at my side. A hand was over her mouth in horror and she was paler than I had ever seen her in my life.

I knew without even asking what she was thinking. I knew that if her mother fell she would think it was her fault. But I knew my Molly and I knew how fiercely she wanted to protect our children from the horrors of the war. She was no longer fighting out of rage that her daughter had almost been killed; she was fighting for the end of it all. Her worst nightmares had come true with the loss of Fred, and I had seen her face contort in grief when she saw Hagrid holding Harry limp in his arms...

For the second time in mere minutes my wife uttered words I had never heard her speak before. I was surprised as the crazed Death Eater fell in a heap on the ground – an oddly surprised look etched upon her already still face.

It had felt like everything was over at that point, but I remembered the other fight going on just meters away from my wife. The dark lord had blown away his opponents in a moment of sheer fury at his best lieutenant being destroyed.

Ginny screamed then, and I realized what was happening. His wand was pointed directly at Molly and I felt my heart sink into the pit of my stomach.

I was running now. I knew I'd never make it to her in time, but I didn't know what else to do. My Molly... Mollywobbles... love of my life... mother of my children... Would I be able to live without her? It didn't seem plausible.

I had almost reached her when I heard someone yell out a shielding charm and deflected the curse.

I didn't even look up to see who had saved my wife – I only had eyes for her at this moment. My arms went around her roughly and I pulled her to my chest, burying my face in her hair. I was sobbing now, but it didn't matter. She was alive.

I was surprised that she hadn't turned to put her arms around me; she didn't try and calm my tears. When I finally looked at her I saw she was making the same face Ginny had earlier. One hand was over her mouth while the other clutched at her heart. I finally tore my gaze away from her to see just who had saved her from certain death.

Harry Potter.


	3. Harry

I couldn't help but watch with morbid fascination as Mrs. Weasley stepped up to challenge Bellatrix. I had never seen her raise her wand to anyone in the seven years I had known her and even now, against pure evil, it seemed unnatural. I had only ever seen her as a mother and housewife. And although I had seen her in a rage, I had never seen her as she was now... Never had I seen her seek vengeance.

I wasn't quite sure what to do. Moments before I had been ready to reveal myself when Bellatrix almost hit Ginny with the killing curse. However, before I had gotten the chance I had been knocked aside by her raging mother.

I watched as their curses danced about the hall... it was mesmerizing and almost pretty if you didn't know what they were doing... if you didn't know they were dueling to the death.

I was torn between the two fights laid out before me. I would have to eventually face Voldemort who at that very same moment was fighting three opponents of his own, but at the same time I wanted to run to Mrs. Weasley's side. I wanted her to know I wasn't dead. I wanted her to know she didn't have to fight anymore for the safety of those she loved... I would do it for her. I would end it for her.

"What will happen to you children when I've killed you? When Mummy's gone the same way as Freddie?"

I almost retched at the words. I remembered Mrs. Weasley's boggart and her worst fear. It was my fault it had come true with the death of Fred just an hour earlier. I wondered if I still deserved the motherly love she showered upon me so frequently. I wondered if she'd be relieved to know I wasn't truly dead.

"You-won't ever-touch-our-children-again!" Mrs. Weasley screamed.

Bellatrix let out a laugh and it mirrored the laugh Sirius had made right before he died at her hand. It was so eerily similar that I couldn't help but know what was going to happen before it did. As if in slow motion I watched a burst of green light soar beneath Bellatrix's outstretched arm and it hit her squarely in the chest. Her laughter died abruptly and the smile fell from her lips.

It was ironic in a way. I had used my first unforgivable curse on Bellatrix and had been taunted by her for it. She had told me I had to mean it... that I had to like it.

As I watched her crumple to the ground in an unceremonious heap, I couldn't help but realize this was probably the first time Mrs. Weasley had ever used an unforgivable curse... and as I looked at Bellatrix's unblinking eyes, I knew that the woman I considered a second mum had meant it without a moment of hesitation.

I was brought back to the present abruptly when a scream echoed through the Great Hall. Voldemort was furious at the loss of his great lieutenant and I watched as McGonagall, Kingsley, and Slughorn all were thrown back in a burst of rage from their opponent.

My heart jumped into my throat when I realized exactly where his wand was now pointing.

I watched as Mrs. Weasley closed her eyes at the sight and I wondered what was running through her head at that moment. Was she accepting death? Was she doing exactly what I had done when I walked straight into Voldemort's camp?

The thought of adding another name to the list of loved ones I had lost to Voldemort was too much for me. I had already lost my mother before I even knew her... I didn't think I could handle losing another.

Knowing the moment had finally come, I lifted my wand.

"PROTEGO!"

The shield expanded in the middle of the hall and I watched as Voldemort looked around for the source of the spell. I whipped off my invisibility cloak and for a moment I glanced in Mrs. Weasley's direction. Mr. Weasley was at her side already, but she didn't seem to even notice his touch as she stared at me; tears forming in her widened eyes. I tried to put as much into that brief look as I had when she gave me her brother's watch for my birthday.

In that look I told her I was going to end it.

And as I turned back to Voldemort, telling everyone this was my fight...

I knew I meant it.


End file.
